Miniature golf course



June 23, 1964 c. H. MICHEL ETAL 3,138,387

MINIATURE com COURSE Filed Feb. 19, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR canmes ll. MIC/16L R BY WALTER Ml. WILLIAMS ATTORN EY June 23, 1964 c. 'H.MICHEL ETAL MINIATURE GOLF COURSE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 19, 196220 FIGA.

BY IIMLTER Mw/LunMs a r mzy' United States Patent v ()fi ice 3,138,387Patented June 23, 1964 3,138,387 MINIATURE GOLF COURSE Charles H.Michel, Wilton Manors, Fla., and Walter W. Williams, 2901 NE. 21stTerrace, Fort Lauderdale, Fla; said Michel assignor to Walter W.Williams, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Filed Feb. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 174,048 4 Claims. (Cl. 273-176) Thisinvention relates to golf games, and more particularly to theconstruction of a small or miniature golf course or putting green.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a small golf course orputting green which can be easily constructed on a patio, on a lawn oron any suitable site in a relatively small area, and which will affordthe facilities and usefulness to players of a more extensive course.

It is an object of the invention to provide a golf course composed ofeasily-assembled elements and materials; to provide one which will beweather-resistant and which will withstand hard use and enable playersto perfect their game and enjoy their golfing activities.

More particularly, the invention contemplates the provision of a strong,reinforced frame composed of a tough weather-resistant material made upof glass fibres and a polyester resin, an example of which is that madeand sold under the trademark Fiberglas, and the frame so constructedsurrounds and provides an enclosing wall for a playing surface that isencompassed by the frame; the frame being provided with ball cupsconstituting a number of holes of the course, and the flooring orsurfacing of the course consisting of a thick layer of planking or sheetmaterial or concrete or other material having .a wear-resistant surface.

With these and other objects to be hereinafter set forth in view, wehave devised the arrangement of parts to be described and moreparticularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein an illustrative embodiment of theinvention is disclosed,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf course or putting greenconstructed according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the corner elements of the frameof the course, and a portion of one of the side rails of the frame;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one of the center or intermediateconnection elements of the frame;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view, with some parts fragmen tarily shown, of thecourse;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the fiooring and one of thesupporting beams for the same, and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 66 of FIG.4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

The game primarily consists of a course or putting green, and itincludes a perimeter made up of a frame composed of Fiberglas or someother material having similar characteristics and being dent-resistantand waterproof. The frame extends around and encloses a flooringcomposed of a layer of relatively thick sheeting, planking or concrete.Ball-receiving cups constituting holes of the course, are formed inparts of the frame, such cups being provided with means for holdingmarkers.

The surrounding frame for the course includes four angular cornermembers generally indicated at 1 and shown in detail in FIG. 2. Each ofsaid members is preferably, although not necessarily, composed ofFiberglas, and it is substantially of inverted U-shape in cross section,being thus provided with a top web 2 and downwardly-extending sides 3and 4. At their lower ends, the sides 3 and 4 are respectively providedwith laterallyprojecting flanges 5 and 6 by which the corners may benailed or otherwise attached to corner reinforcing plates (FIG. 4)composed of sturdy plywood or other suitable material. These plywoodreinforcements or supports rest on or in concrete, hard-packed earth orwater-compacted sand (FIG. 6) and serve to hold the corners of the framelevel and true.

Formed in each of the corner members 1 is a cup 9 constituting the holeof the course and into which the player attempts to drive the ball. Eachof these cups is provided with a forwardly-projecting flange 24. Thecups 9 are each provided with a central hole 10 into which the staff 11of a hole-designating marker 12 is removably inserted to thereby supportthe marker vertically substantially as shown in FIG. 1. The angular legs3 and 4 of each of the corner members 1 have reduced end portionsindicated respectively at 15 and 16 adapted to telescopically fit intothe ends of the channel-shaped side rails 17 of the frame. A portion ofone of the side rails is shown in FIG. 2, wherein it will be seen thatthe same is of inverted U-shape in cross section, similar to thecross-sectional shape of the ends of the corner members, and the siderails are composed of Fiberglas or its equivalent. Each of the siderails has its side walls formed at the bottom with radially-projectingflanges 19 and 20 by which these side rails are nailedor otherwisesuitably attached to a plurality of cross-ties 21, which rest on or areembedded in the hard-packed earth, sand, concrete or other suitablematerial.

The end rails of the frame, shown at 18, are similar in shape, materialand construction to the side rails 17 and said end rails telescopicallyengage with the end portions of the corner members 1.

The frame employs intermediate connecting members 22, one of theseconnecting members being shown in FIG. 3. It will be therein noted thatthe intermediate member is of substantially inverted U-shape and isprovided with a cup portion 23 constituting one of the holes of thecourse, said cup portion having a forwardly-project ing flange 24. Theside walls of the intermediate connecting member are provided at thebottom with lateral flanges 25 and 26 which can be attached by nails orotherwise secured to the cross ties or beams 21. The overlapped endportions of the end and side rails and corner and intermediate membersmay be riveted together.

The result of the foregoing construction, is a substantially rectangularframe, which may be made in Various sizes according to the plot on whichit is to be placed. The frame is suitably supported at its corners bycorner reinforcing plates 7 and is cross-braced and strengthened by thecross ties 21. The cups provided in the parts of the frame areintegrally formed in such parts.

The flooring of the course may be formed of concrete, relatively thickplanking or sheeting 28. The flooring may be composed, for example, ofthe all-weather material sold under the trade name of Tectum or of somematerial of similar characteristics and the sections of it which formthe flooring may fit together with a tongue and groove fit 30, so that asubstantially smooth and ininterrupted playing surface, particularlywhen covered with the protective layer 29, is the result. The protectivelayer 29 may consist of an asphalt felt applied to the flooring material28, and if desired, a layer of carpeting or similar material, not shown,may be applied over the waterproof layer 29. The frame of the course isof such height that it projects above the flooring and provides anenclosing railing around the course and prevents the balls from leavingthe course during playing of the game.

In addition to the holes provided by means of the cups formed in theframe elements, additional holes are provided at suitable points in theflooring in the manner 3 shown in FIG. 5. Each of the above holes,indicated respectively at 32, 33 and 34, is composed of a cylinder orcup 35 inserted in the flooring and having its bottom provided with adrain opening 36 as well as with a central sleeve 37 for the receptionof the staff 11 of a marker 12.

The result of the above-described construction is a golf course orputting green which can be readily erected on any suitable site with aminimum of construction effort. It can be made in any suitable size andwith any reasonable amount of cups or holes by adding to or decreasingthe length and number of side and end rail sections. The construction ofthe course is such that it provides a smooth and even playing surfaceand can be easily maintained in a clean and useful condition.

Having thus described a single embodiment of the invention, it isobvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto, but is broadenough to cover all structures coming Within the scope of the annexedclaims.

What we claim is:

1. A golf course or putting green comprising, a frame defining thecourse, said frame being composed of a plurality of inverted U-shapedside and end elements and angular corner pieces telescopically joinedend to end to form a rectangular enclosure, the frame elements beingformed with cups to provide golf course holes, the frame elements havinglaterally-extending flanges at their lower ends, a flooring disposedwithin the frame and resting on the flanges, and cross members extendingunder and supporting the flooring and the frame on the ground.

2. A golf course or putting green comprising, a frame defining thecourse, said frame having angular corner members, each of the same beingformed with a ballreceiving cup, end rails extending between the cornermembers and telescopically engaged with legs on the corner members, siderails telescopically engaged with the corner members, each of the siderails including an intermediate connector member, the connector membersbeing each formed with a ball-receiving cup, all of the parts of theframe being composed of Fiberglas and being formed at the bottom withlateral flanges, supporting beams in spaced relation located under theframe, the

flanges on the frame parts being attached to said beams, a flooringwithin the frame and supported by the beams, the flooring consisting ofrelatively thick sheet material provided with an upper waterproofcovering.

3. In a golf course as provided for in claim 2, wherein each of the cupsis provided with a bottom having a central opening for the reception ofa staff of a hole marker, the frame elements extending above the top ofthe fiooring and constituting a ball-confining rail around the flooring,and supplementary cups provided in the flooring.

4. A golf course or putting green comprising, a frame defining thecourse, the frame having angular corner members, flat supports restingon the ground beneath the corner members and supporting said cornermembers, each of the corner members including angular legs and eachbeing formed with a ball cup located between the legs, end railsdisposed between the corner members and engaging with some of theangular legs thereof, side rails engaging the other angular legs of thecorner members, intermediate connector members connected to the siderails, each of the intermediate connector members being provided with aball cup, the corner members having flanges attached to the flatsupports, cross ties beneath the side rails, said side rails havingflanges attached to the cross ties, a flooring within the frame restingon the cross ties, said flooring having a waterproof top facing andbeing provided with a plurality of ball cups extending through it.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A GOLF COURSE OR PUTTING GREEN COMPRISING, A FRAME DEFINING THECOURSE, SAID FRAME BEING COMPOSED OF A PLURALITY OF INVERTED U-SHAPEDSIDE AND END ELEMENTS AND ANGULAR CORNER PIECES TELESCOPICALLY JOINEDEND TO END TO FORM A RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE, THE FRAME ELEMENTS BEINGFORMED WITH CUPS TO PROVIDE GOLF COURSE HOLES, THE FRAME ELEMENTS HAVINGLATERALLY-EXTENDING FLANGES AT THEIR LOWER ENDS, A FLOORING DISPOSEDWITHIN THE FRAME AND